San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-31

| New York for the old man, for he has long
been the only real or apparent Frenchman in
| an American skin over here. He has repre-
sented enough earnestness, on the one hand,
and enough bounce, on the other, TO make or
decorate a striking personality-while he has
also satisfied demand for comedy as well as
| supplied an example Of intensity. There will
have to be a day Of judgment to settle
| whether John Swinton's communism is a red
hot conviction or a form of cultivated ego
| tism, which has become freak or a fanati-
| Cism. The matter is, however, not so import
ant as the fact that the old man was at any
| time ready TO die for his fad-if death could
| be inflicted in properly dramatic manner
| and, more's the pity, has almost starved for
| it. i do not desire to figure as 1relawny
who would lift the shroud OF a dead genius to
| be able to tell the world which was the club
| foot that the vanity Of the son of the gods
| concealed in his life time. The reason for in
| dicating the sacrifices to which John Swinton
| has subjected himself for an idea is that an
instance of endurance may be shown from
which human nature may draw lesson.
Your readers know that the mans paper is
dead; that it died for want Of support; that
| its death proves that labor will not labor to
help its championship this is known.
FROM WEALTH TO POVERTY.
Not known are these facts: The old man
began publishing that paper when he lived in
a mansion replete with treasures of art and
literature and with uses which wealth has
for all the wants and the taste A French
chef ministered to the epicurean palates which
the hospitable master invited around him.
Statesmen, reformers, beauties, moraiSts and
at times the princes Of states and Of churches
were his guests. For long months past no
has lived in one room in a tenement among
the slums, his food not costing 81 week and
not worth half that little, depicting himself
in body that the paper might go on; earning
$500 by a magazine article on something he
was Indifferent about that he might issue
thoughts which he was tremendously moved
about. 81 will dine you for a sixpence, but if
you want me to write for you my terms will be
$40 a column; it will bring out my next
ISSUE" he would say. An income Of over
$4,000 year and a fortune which at least
five figures would be needed to express, house,
furniture, horses, wines, clothes, last of all
the beloved books, have gone to sustain an
idea and the idea was wind.
John Swinton had to stop. He could starve
his stomach and deny his mind as long as he
could get together enough opay the printer,
but when thai failed he ceased. No one suf-
fered loss but himself The theories of the
man were visionary and destructive, but he
was the safest conduit for them there was.
He would denounce property without being
able to remove the conviction of everybody
that he was the kindest old man in the world.
He would roar like Etna, but the birds would
not fly away when he walked by them. He
would emit fire and slaughter, but his wallet
would be turned inside out to the first beggar.
HD would advocate communism and practice
it by loading up gamins with presents. New
York knew him as a stage quantity whose
heart was as gentle as summer. The amount
Of verbal yehemence that had to be got OFF
sounded in him like the demons tenpins
among the mountains or scintillated around
and within him like the lightning of July
twilight; but the noise was only noise and the
lightning struck nothing but his pocketbook.
FEW PERSONAL ANECDOTES.
The old man was a conservative force, a
discounted thunderbolt, and did not seem to
know it. He came, as he thought, unto his
own, and they received him not. They unto
whom he cast pearls turned and rended him
He will find harbor whence he went forth to
raise storm and encounter shipwreck.
"What were you doing that afternoon on
that cornerF asked Mr. Fullerton Of him
when witness on the Beecher trial.
"Musing on the infinite" was the answer
that came quick as efash, straight as rife
ball and hard as a rock. That cross examina-
ton was not continued.
did you ever taste that kind of wine be-
before, Swimtonp asked A. T. Stewart Of
him at a dinner once in the Thirty-fourth
street palace, as the host doled out the least
bit of rare vintage.
"Yes, twice; once with Antonelli and once
with Bismarck, and both times in larger
glasses" was the reply.
1t was Swinton who gravely proposed to
discuss in Madison square garden with Will
liam II. Vanderbilt the latter's right to his
millions to the sheer CONSERVATION of that
man, and somewhat to his apprehension. 1t
was Swinton against whom Depew "braced
himself" for the debate at the Nineteenth
Century club, and it was Swinton who at
that club spoke only such honeyed words of
the allowances which ought to be made for
rich men that Depew's prepared arguments
were kicks against nothing
"He thought I'd show my teeth, but my
speech was sustained kiss" chucklingly ex-
plains the old man. 1.-THE casemaker was
nowhere" he adds.
He has learned that natural conditions will
not bend to aid poor or rich; that ingratitude
is plant that can grow in the slums as well
as on the avenue; that the confederation Of
forces, the conservation Of powers, the union
of energy, skill and interests that that 60 by
the name of corporations, syndicates, COM
panies, trusts and the like are a law of the
civilization of the time; he has learned his
lesson, but sweet, strong and hopeful in him
yet is "the indomitable heart of Armand
Richelieu. New York Cor. Brooklyn Eagle.